1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data distribution system, to a data distribution method, to a portable terminal capable of data reception and to a portable terminal capable of data transmission. It also relates to a recording medium onto which data content is recorded, and more particularly to a recording medium onto which are recorded data content that is scrambled differently, depending upon the transmission destination.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, there have been disclosures of a system for distributing such data as music data, using a communication circuit (for example, in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application publications H7-147063 and H9-146820), and a system for distribution of such data via a communications satellite (for example in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application publications H7-143081 and H10-163991).
At present, even with tastes in music diversifying, and fashions in music changing significantly in a short period of time, a content center can select the desired song from among its huge amount of stored data content, thereby making it possible to use an extremely large number of songs, and to quickly meet the diversifying tastes of consumers and quick changes in popularity.
In a data distribution system, a data distribution method, and a data playback system of the past, however, it was not easy to receive a small amount of money each time data was distributed with a low cost. Additionally, when data was sold at in a store, it was not easy to achieve a quick and accurate understanding of the demographics of the users (such as age and gender). In the case in which an existing medium such as Minidisc™ (MD) was used to stored data, it was not possible to charge a user for copies made and distributed between users via this medium. With the widespread utilization of such networks as the Internet, while it is possible to access music content from all over the world, from either a store or at home, there had not been a specific proposal for a network-ready terminal (audio equipment) that could be conveniently used to carry that music content around.
While a typical example of digital content is music data, such digital content also encompasses static images, moving images, document dada, game programs, and application software.
Because such digital data can be quickly and accurately copied, there is a great need to protect such data from illegal copying. With large amounts of diverse data being distributed, there is an increasing need for a fast data transmission and fast data playback.